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'UNITED sTATEs Paritair orricn.

LEWIS A. HALL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TRUSS.

Speccation of Letters Patent No. 6,425, dated May 8, 1849.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis A. HALL, physician, of the city of Newark, inthe county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new anduseful truss for the retention and care of all cases of reduciblehernia, which I designate the Inverted arch spiral-spring truss, and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification,in which- Figure 1, letter a, is the anterior rod; letter Z), is theposterior rod. Fig. 2, letter c, is a canula with its movable ends CZ,d, which surrounds a spiral spring, Fig. 3, letter c, a spiral spring ofsteel or other metal; Fig. 4, letter f, a nut, or bur, to be fastened onthe superior ends of the rods a, Z), or near their ends; Fig. 5 the tworods connected properly by the spiral spring, letter, e, showing alsothe attachment of a nut, letter, f, at its anterior, and superiorportion. Fig. 6 the inverted spiral spring truss complete with theexception of a nut on the end of the posterior rods, ready for use, bythe application of proper pads, straps, &c.

I construct of metal of proper tenacity, ductility, and malleability, arod, a, of proper size and length, to reach fromapoint, two or moreinches above the aperture through which the rupture escapes, passingfrom thence downward over the oz pubis bone or bones, to the center ofthe perineum and of such a size as may be of adequate strength to bearthe necessary pressure sufficient to retain the rupture, within thepelvis, or abdomen, in its proper place; at which point it is to meet;and be in contact with a second rod, o, of the same size diametrically;the two a, b, are bent to correspond to the shape of theparts over andunder, which they pass; forming an arch, in close contact with the skinof the patient, where the truss is applied. The backv portion of the rodletter o, passes over the remaining portion of the perineum and over theoz coccyges and sacrum, up to the last lumbar vertebra, and as muchhigher along the spinal column as may be found useful. At the center ofmotion, where the rods a, Z), meet under the perineum; I construct aspiral spring of steel or other metals, Fig. 3, letter, e, coated withsilver or gold, or other material to prevent oxidization, of powersutlicient to hold the two rods a, Z), in contact at their ends, whenthe body of the wearer is erect and at rest and yet, so elastic, as toallow motion, both longitudinally, and laterally,

`in all cases, where an enlargement or contraction of the muscles takeplace from any cause whatever instooping, sitting, dancing, coughing,and in every species of movement incident to locomotion. rIhis mass ofcoiled metal Fig'. 3, letter c, is fastened by one of its ends to theanterior rod, a, near its end in the vicinity of letter, Q, Fig. l,under the pubis, and when thus securely fastened as above described, theposterior rod Fig. l, letter, Z), is introduced into the coiled spring,c, until it comes in contact with the end of the anterior rod, a, andthen, and there, retained until the posterior end of the spring isfastened to the inferior portion .of the posterior rod, Y), at or near,g, Fig. l, as seen in Fig. 5, letter, e, constituting in its form, andfinish a spiral spring varying in length, from a few inches, to anydistance I may find requisite to adopt, graduating its size,

length, and strength, and caliber to the different trusses manufactured.

I construct and place around this spiral spring a metal canula Fig. 2,letter o. This canula is a simple tube with each of its ends containinga female screw to receive a movable screw, that stops, (when its place)the spring within the canula from elongating unduly-see the ends of Fig.2, (l, Cl. rIhese screws are also two canulae, having a hole in theircen ter through which the rods, a, b, move with every breath, orinspiration the wearer makes, or commensurate to the movements allowedthem by the spiral spring. It must be so long as to admit sufficientmotion of the spring without at the same time aliowing too much play tothe spring; the medium length for an adult will be about four inches.Its internal caliber must be so large as not to bind the spiral springsand not so large as to be too loose, but set so close as to keep thespring from forming a curve, unless the same curve is given to thecanula. If constructed to be an inch and a quarter longer than thespring it will answer. I sometimes alter the caliber, length, shape andcomposition of this canula at my option. The canula will admit all thelongitudinal motion required to keep the rods from hurting the pubis andsacrum in stooping and allow of all the lateral motion necessary formoving the depending arch right or left, to be out of the Way in anyevacuation that nature requires, in either seX. It will also affordpermanence, to the center of the depending arch; in the sustension offorce equal to a continuous rod. Thus all the separate parts having beencompleted and the two rods a, b, being united by the spiral spring as Wesee in Fig. 5, I unseren7 one end of the canula, and introduceindit'erently the superior end of either rod Fig. l, letter a, Z), intothe open end of the canula and direct it so that the hole in the screvvd that remains in the canula may receive the rod through it in itsdescent pressing it down to its place over the spiral spring, thentaking the displaced screw I introduce it on the end of the antagonizingrod pressing it down until I can screw it into its place; rendering itsecure as may be seen in Fig. 6.

To the frame as above described pads of any form may be applied and Ihave a great variety Which need no particular description What I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Tivo rods ofmetal of a proper size and shape, Fig. l, letters a, b, and meetingunder the perineam When in use in combination With the metallic spiralspring.Y or

springs, or other analogous device.

LEWIS A. HALL.

Witnesses THOMAS ADAMS, WM. GREENOUGH.

